


Breakfast Gruel

by xfitzwellsx



Category: Harlots (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-02 00:57:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20456501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xfitzwellsx/pseuds/xfitzwellsx
Summary: Charlotte teaches Lady Isabella how to make a timeless classic cuisine, and see’s how the socialite fares with domestic work.





	Breakfast Gruel

Charlotte was awake when the first ray of sunlight broke through the curtains of Lady Isabella Fitzwilliam’s estate and into the master bedroom, falling across bare backs and stomachs with cream colored sheets splattered across their skin. Charlotte stirred for a moment, waking to the feeling of Lady Isabella’s arm draped over her stomach and her lips pressed into Charlotte’s temple. The young bawd closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the feeling of having this life at her fingertips, this woman in her arms when she woke in the mornings. 

Turning her head to capture Lady Isabella’s lips in hers softly in greeting, not intending to wake her, Charlotte spoke quietly, “I’ll be just a moment, my love.” Her voice was raspy with sleep as Lady Isabella grunted back sleepily in response, Charlotte lifting the Lady’s arm and sliding out of bed, much to Lady Isabella’s protest. “Just a moment.” Charlotte repeated, leaning down to place another soft kiss on Isabella’s head. 

She picked her chemise from the floor and slipped it on, also taking her robe from the armchair and putting it on, securing the belt around her waist. Her first task was to go to the bathroom, and once that was complete, Charlotte made her way down the grand staircase and into the kitchen, where she caught the servants preparing breakfast for the morning. “Good morning, Lady Charlotte.” One of the cooks greeted, and Charlotte looked up at her at the title, a bit shocked. 

“Er…good morning, Martha. You’ve not put the coffee on, have you?” Charlotte asked almost awkwardly, wrapping her arms around herself as she stifled a yawn.

“No ma’am.” Martha motioned to the small coffee station in the corner of the kitchen, which consisted of the ground coffee beans, kettle, and empty tea bags. Charlotte offered a tired smile and made her way towards the station, grabbing two tea cups in her path. Filling the kettle with water, Charlotte set it over the hearth and waited for it to heat to her liking. 

“What time is you lot get up?” Charlotte asked after a moment of waiting, trying to fill the silence. “Sorry, I’m just -”

“About an hour before now,” Martha answered with a shake of her head and a smile. Looking outside Charlotte guessed it couldn’t have been later than six in the morning. 

“Huh.” Charlotte nodded, mindlessly filling the empty tea bags with ground coffee. “And what is that you’re making?” She asked curiously, motioning to the other small pot hanging above the iron caged hearth. 

“We’ve got spiced buns on the heat, ma’am, and kippers going on after.” Dorothy, another cook, replied as she was preparing the fish for the second meal. Charlotte scrunched her nose in distaste, shaking her head.

“Let’s take a pass on the kippers, Dor, yeah?” She asked with hope, tying the coffee bean bags off with a string. “I’ll tell you right now, I won’t be having any - and I won’t be letting Lady Isabella have any, as well - it’s…it’s the taste,” she shook her head, sticking her tongue out, “it just - it stays for days. I just can’t be having it. I’m so sorry.” She apologized, feeling sick just thinking about the fish food for breakfast. This caused Dorothy and Martha to look at one another, before beginning to scrap the fish breakfast with girl like giggles. 

“But don’t worry yourself with another dish - I’ll be preparing the rest.” She nodded, taking the kettle off of the iron hearth and setting it down on the counter. Charlotte grabbed a glass from the shelf that had several small holes in the bottom. She stuffed one of the coffee bags inside, and began pouring the hot water inside while she held it over one of the tea cups, straining the coffee inside.

Suddenly she felt a pair of delicate, long arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her back gently into a warm female body. “I said I’d only be a moment,” Charlotte purred against her lover’s body, hand reaching behind her to pull Lady Isabella’s lips towards her own, neck craning. “I was going to bring you coffee,” she added with a happy sigh, pulling away from the kiss. Suddenly they were alone in the kitchen; they always seemed to end up alone - perhaps the servants felt like they were intruding. 

“I thought I’d come and make you breakfast,” Lady Isabella smiled, holding the tea cup for Charlotte as she continued to pour water into the strainer. Her words made Charlotte snort in a most Charlotte like manner, the strainer almost slipping from her fingers. For somebody who came from a family of great wealth and privilege, as Lady Isabella did, it, well…it showed. The woman had very little domestic skill, and that was due to not needing it growing up the way she did. “I’m sure that’s very amusing to you, Ms. Wells.” She rolled her eyes, setting the tea cup down and arms falling from Charlotte’s figure and to her sides in disappointment. 

“No, no, baby,” Charlotte protested in apology, setting the strainer on the counter and turning to try and appease her lover. Her hands reached out to grab Lady Isabella’s and bring them back around her waist desperately, bottom lip jutted out in a pout that was quickly becoming signature Charlotte. “I’m sorry,” she shook her head, hands cupping Lady Isabella’s cheeks delicately as she kissed her in thanks. “I would love that, really. I would.” She assured her, offering her a sincere smile. 

Lady Isabella fought her own smile, locking her arms around Charlotte, nose brushing against hers before she asked tentatively, “…could you, perhaps…help me?” Her fingers played with the fray of Charlotte’s robe, somewhat why. Charlotte broke into a big smile at the question, kissing Lady Isabella once more in answer. When they broke apart, Lady Isabella nodded once, “So, how do you make a fruitcake?” 

Charlotte held back a giggle this time, shaking her head. “How about we start with something a bit…easier? And less time consuming.” She suggested lightly, breaking out of Lady Isabella’s hold and beginning to gather ingredients. “Did your mother ever teach you to make gruel?” She asked curiously, reaching for the oats in the pantry. 

“Er…no.” Lady Isabella shook her head with a raised brow, finishing straining the coffee for Charlotte. “Well that was…well, it was always for the -”

“-peasants?’ Charlotte asked with a small smile, eyeing out the measurements of oats and setting them in a bowl. Lady Isabella looked a bit guilty at the term, glancing down at her feet. Charlotte just laughed, shrugging. “You’re not wrong,” she shook her head, gathering the rest of the ingredients. “But Lucy and I were raised on this stuff. Every kid knows how to make gruel for their screaming baby sister.” She chuckled, motioning Lady Isabella over to help.

The older woman followed instruction, looking down at all the materials on the counter with curiosity. “Here,” Charlotte handed off a pitcher to Lady Isabella, “go and fill this, pour about a cup of it in with the oats.” She instructed softly, and Lady Isabella was off to work. Charlotte made room on the iron hearth for another pot, watching lovingly as Lady Isabella mindfully filled the pitcher, making her way over to the counter and beginning to stir the water and oats into a pot. 

“Alright, you can set that down on the fire.” Lady Isabella did so carefully, and the pair waited for the food to begin boiling. “Not so difficult, eh?” Charlotte mused with a chuckle, pulling the older woman in by the fabric of her robe and kissing her softly. 

“Is that all?” Lady Isabella asked, smile growing at the contact. 

Charlotte chuckled once more, pulling away to observe the other ingredients on the table. “We’ll need a spot of sugar, and some butter.” She pulled a small ceramic jar towards her, opening it up to reveal a small mountain of pure sugar nesting inside. “You know when I was a little girl, I’d sneak as big a spoonful of sugar as I could without getting caught. Ma had a rightful rage when she’d caught me,” sugar wasn’t cheap, Margaret Wells could attest to it. Charlotte smiled fondly at the memory, dipping a finger inside and gathering some sugar on it before slipping it into her mouth. She repeated the motion, this time collecting more sugar and sucking on her finger for a moment.

Lady Isabella watched on with great love, heart swelling with adoration at the sometimes childlike woman before her. “I’m afraid I’ve completely lost all my free will in your presence, Ms. Wells.” She admitted softly, gentle smile tugging at her lips. Not that she was complaining, per say. “In every way, I believe myself to be yours, alone.” Even if she knew it didn’t apply the other way around, due to Charlotte’s profession. 

This made a deep blush crawl up Charlotte’s face, her cheeks burning with appreciation at Isabella’s words. There was a tender silence between the two as Lady Isabella gently took Charlotte’s face in her hands, lips brushing over hers intimately. Charlotte melted into the kiss, having to stand up on the tips of her toes to deepen it while Lady Isabella pressed her up against the counter. Taking the smaller woman by the waist Isabella hoisted her up onto the counter top, earning a small squeal from Charlotte as she wrapped her legs loosely around Lady Isabella’s waist. 

“Lady Fitzwilliam, this is quite unsanitary.” Charlotte teased the aristocrat, nose brushing against hers playfully. But Lady Isabella was busy making light work of Charlotte’s jaw, lips peppering over the shaped bone lovingly. They remained like that for a few minutes, the only sound to be heard through the kitchen being Charlotte’s small giggles and laughter. “Alright, go on and throw in the sugar.” She encouraged, crossing her legs as she sat on the counter waiting patiently. 

Lady Isabella cut a few squares from the platter, dropping the pieces into the pot on the hearth and watching them melt down on top of the forming gruel. She followed suit with the sugar, adding a few pinches before stirring everything together. She took her place back between Charlotte’s legs at the counter for the next few moments, the couple feeding each other sugar from the jar happily until it was time to taste the food.

“Is it dreadful?” Lady Isabella asked as she bit down on the nail of her thumb nervously, wanting desperately to have made Charlotte proud with her cooking skills. Charlotte took a small spoonful and blew on it, trusting Lady Isabella completely as she took the spoon into her mouth with no hesitation. It was gruel - hard to mess up. After a moment of chewing Charlotte swallowed, a smile growing on her lips as she glanced at Lady Isabella.

“…it’s actually delicious.” She noticed the hopeful look on her beloved’s face at her words, making her heart skip a beat in adoration. “Here,” she took a spoonful and held her hand beneath it as she transferred it to Lady Isabella’s mouth, who took the bite and hummed in appreciation at the taste. “I’m so proud of you, my Ladyship.” The young brunette winked, taking another spoonful of gruel in her mouth. They continued to share the meal as the smell of honey buns and forgotten coffee filled the air.


End file.
